FROM THE EDITOR

Over the years at the Weekly, we’ve always enjoyed catching up with Paul Henry and his much-loved mum Olive.

She was a gorgeous, spirited woman with an adventurous streak (she famously did a jump from Auckland’s Sky Tower to celebrate her 79th birthday), and she shared a wonderful, unique bond with her only son. So when Paul explained what he was planning on doing to celebrate her in his early retirement, we weren’t entirely surprised to hear it wasn’t your run-of-the-mill tribute.

When I caught up with Paul on the phone this week, he was sitting on the top deck of his new boat Olive, having just finished his dinner on a balmy summer’s evening. He sounded like a new man. His voice was rested and clear (except for while he excitedly told the details of the ports he’d visited in the last few weeks) and he sounded like a man who had finally found happiness.

“I think I have,” he said.

“I’m sitting up here, the lights are on and the boat is all lit up like a Christmas tree,” he explained, happily painting the picture. “I’m sitting in this Spanish bay in the Balearic Islands looking out at all these little rocks that are flood lit and there are little houses all built into the rocks, and it’s just brilliant. And it’s a funny thing because my mother would love this. She really would.

But y’know what? I do feel like she’s on the journey here with me. I really do.”

Paul’s story came as a wonderful reminder to live in the moment – my biggest thanks go to him and his daughter Bella for sharing this next chapter in their story. Safe travels, Paul.

Enjoy your week!